EFI VUTEk GS5000r, 5-meter roll to roll UV-cured grand format printer
About five times during 2008 someone would mention “the new VUTEk 5-meter roll-to-roll printer” that was being developed in Israel. Since Israel is the location of the world’s first 5-meter roll-to-roll UV printer (NUR Expedio 5000), this makes Israel a practical place to develop a newer generation 5-meter roll to roll. This country is one of the most sophisticated high-tech areas of the world (Scitex, Scitex Vision, Objet Geometries, Indigo, Leaf (medium format digital cameras), HumanEyes (lenticular software) are just a few examples of the digital technology companies here.
Then at FESPA 2009 the VUTEk GS5000r printer was launched.

FLAAR Reports are being issued on the VUTEk GS5000r
Here are photographs of FLAAR Technical Writer Jose Melgar at the demo room for the VUTEk GS5000r.

VUTEk enters the 5-meter market introducing the VUTEk GS5000r at FESPA Amsterdam 2009. EFI fights for a share against well known printers like the 5-meter versions of the roll-fed machines of Gandinnovations, the HP Scitex XP5300, Matan Barak5 and the Durst Rho 500r, also introduced at FESPA Amsterdam 09.

Here is a photograph of FLAAR Technical Writer Jose Melgar at the demo room for the VUTEk GS5000r.

Now in 2010, going into 2011, the VUTEk GS5000r is ready
The VUTEK GS5000r was first shown to the general public at FESPA 2009. It took until ISA 2010 to move it from alpha stage to advanced beta stage. After inspecting the GS5000r at ISA I realized that significant improvements had been successful. So as soon as a factory visit and the site-visit case study become possible, we will issue a FLAAR Reports evaluation.
The factory visit has now taken place, and we will be posting the resulting evaluation shortly.

Some 3.2-meter systems that are competitors
If your sign shop is not physically large enough to take a 5-meter system, there is always a 3.2 meter version to consider. But for 3.2 meter it makes more sense to have a transport-belt, so you can also print thick or rigid materials, in addition to roll-to-roll.

Substrates for 5-meter width: banner, billboards, mesh, frontlit, backlit
Most substrates are made in factories that produce a maximum of 3.2 meters. So it was nice to find two different factories recently that produced materials at 5 meter widths. I recently spent one week inspecting 5 meter production of PVC at Obeikan OTF. Then I flew to China to spend a week inspecting 5-meter production of PE, an eco-friendly material. In early 2011 I hope to return to Obeikan OTF to inspect their new production line of PP (an ecologically more friendly green substrate as an alternative to PVC).
So if you have clients that prefer to avoid PVC, now there are two materials to select as alternatives: PE as a technical textile, and PP as a technical textile.

Most recently updated December 2010 after inspecting the VUTEk GS5000r at Sign Istanbul that had just been sold to a local printshop in Turkey.
Updated April 22, 2010, after noticing the improved quality of the VUTEk GS5000r printer at ISA sign expo.
First posted May 12, 2009, a day before FESPA Digital Europe trade show.

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